Chapter 3 - Chasing Shadows

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Riya opened her eyes and found herself in a clearing in the woods, everything was dark at first until she squint her eyes to make out her surroundings, she realized she was in the woods when she saw shadows cast by tall trees. It didn't seem like there was anyone one around, she started to get scared.

"Hello?!!!!" she called out, "Is anyone out there, I'm lost please".

No response

"Shit" she cursed under her breath, " I might as well just find my way out of here".

She began to walk carefully trying to squint to make out her way. Suddenly, something caught her eye, there was a movement in the trees in front of her and then she saw it, the person with glowing red eyes in a cloak. Her eyes went wide like saucers

Ahhh!!!!!!!!!! "please don't hurt me " she screamed. But the person or thing didn't move an inch but just stood there, she tried to blink hoping it will vanish like last time, but it didn't move from where it was.

Riya started to take steps backwards, not taking her eyes of it in dread that it would suddenly take her by surprise if she as much as take her eyes of it for two seconds, and then it spoke for the first time.

"You is ours, we will have you" it said in a harsh whisper, it's voice was guttural

Riya gasps at the sound of it's voice and it's words, she couldn't call it a person because a human doesn't possess such a voice or eyes. Riya began to feel chilly air creep up her spine as she stepped backwards faster and bolted in the opposite direction.

She continued to run as fast as she could without looking back and also trying to make her way through the dark woods. She continued to run and pray silently that she had lost the crea.....

Ahhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She screamed as her foot got stuck in a twisted root which caused her to fall right on her face. Soon she began to hear overlapped whispers and the wind carried these whispers around her, a white smoke like a fog started to surround the woods, crawling from her feet rising upwards. She managed to stand up, leaning her weight on her left foot trying to walk forward, then she heard rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs behind her.

When she looked back, she saw the creature standing only a few inches from her, it's eyes glowing brighter, it raised it's cloaked hands revealing two rotten hands. It's hands looked like the flesh was falling off. It walked closer and was about to grab her...

Riya gasped, eyes wide in fear.

No no no no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Riya woke up screaming and thrashing around. It then occured to her that it was a dream but it had seem so real.

She got up from bed and walked to the bathroom, she splashed water on her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked completely pale. she wiped her face and headed to the kitchen to drink water.

"This looks so fucking sick, I don't think any other murder scene is ever going to beat this one in my years of service" said detective Kol

" Haven't seen anything like this since the conjuring centuries ago, this is insane" sergeant Josh said standing in the morgue staring at the body.

They both took closer looks at the corpse again for couple of minutes.

" Forensics couldn't find anything Josh, nothing at all" said detective Kol

" Makes it more creepier, honestly I really don't want to start considering the girl's statement of the suspect's description, because that would explain properly why there aren't any traces to the suspect at all, the body is too creepily clean" Josh said looking somewhat frustrated.

" The supernatural is just the easy escape from not doing our jobs as cops Josh, there has to be something, fingerprints, anything" he sighed.

"There's obviously nothing, this is Sleepy hollow Kol, the town known to be the center and core of the supernatural, but that was centuries ago man, centuries ago" he heaved a tired sigh and shook his head

" We should question the girl more on it tomorrow then, see you tomorrow Josh"

" Alright"

Kol patted his shoulder and walked out of the room. Josh just stood there watching the body with a million questions on his mind.

How does a killer dispose his victims without leaving any traces at all?

There wasn't even one fingerprint, no traces of hair or clothing on the victims fingers to show struggling.

To think that alcohol wasn't even used to clean the body to erase evidence or burnt, the body was left fresh like the killer wanted it to be found but there wasn't any thing that led you back to the killer.

Nothing.

He sighed loudly and walked out of the morgue.

Riya took the glass of water and walked back to her room still shaken by the nightmare she had, she definitely couldn't sleep anymore, that's certain.

She just still couldn't forget the image of that man just lying there like a ragged doll and the creature in the cloak she had seen in her dream.

What did all these mean?

She just wished she had someone to talk to right now that wouldn't say she was going nuts, at least that's what the Sergeant and his men thought when she told them. Sergeant Joshua said she was probably just tired and emotionally unstable right now because of the gruesome murder scene she had witnessed, but she was sure of what she saw, her mind wasn't conjuring things up because she was scared, she saw the creature in cloak with glowing red eyes, now she was seeing it in her dreams too.

"Ohhhh great" she breathed.

She picked up her phone and checked the time, it was 11:00 pm and she just couldn't sleep again, she was too scared she'll see the cloak fucker in her dreams again.

"what am I supposed to do with all these hours before it'll be morning" she thought out loud.

She decided to FaceTime Rick. Rick was a guy Riya met in Mr Andrew's bar two months ago, she had had a little too much to drink and they danced, not to forget that she was the one that initiated all the dirty dancing, she laughed at the thought of it all. Rick is a local of Sleepy Hollow, lived here since he was born. He had been living alone since his parents died in a car crash when he was 16, Mr Andrew knew Rick well also because he has also been in this town long enough too. Mr Andrew was quick to want to pair them that day after the weird situation of throwing herself at him because she was drunk, he said they were both perfect and most importantly they both needed someone. Rick often came to the bar after that day. Mr Andrew then told Riya that Rick always came here to mostly spend time with him and sometimes help him at the counter. She decided to walk up to him one day and apologize for that night when she was drunk and he was sweet enough to shrug it off saying they could set the record straight with dinner, she had agreed and followed him home and they cooked together and ate in his front porch watching the sky and talking about each other. They've been hanging out since then, and some times facetime each other.

Back to the present, she added a little touch of makeup to her face to hide her flushed face from him then she called him adjusting her hair and top. It rang and rang then he picked up

"Ohh hey cutie" Rick said smiling as usual

"hey you"

" How was your day my queen"

" Oh stop being cheesy Rick" she said rolling her eyes.

"Hahaha, you look beautiful as always, why aren't you sleeping?"

" Just had a nightmare" she said trying not to remember the details.

"Awwwn sorry sweet, want me to stop by and cuddle?" he said smirking

" Rick if I need a koala I'd order one or borrow one from the zoo" she said trying to irk him.

"whoa whoa sweetie with all these looks of mine?!!!!!" he screamed dramatically feigning hurt.

Riya laughed staring at him.

"Didn't see you at the bar today, watsup"

" Was fixing up the car at the garage the whole day, decided to sit the bar out today"

"Well u weren't missed"

"How rude" he said laughing

She laughed as he started to make weird faces at the camera. She sighed softly, she really missed him no doubt.

"Well I missed you Riri"

" I missed you too" she said smiling

" How about we have lunch tomorrow" he said winking and smiling.

"Okay then, bye "

"Bye"

She ended the call grinning from ear to ear. Damn!!!!, he sure did make her happy and cheered her up in the oddest times. Now she could sleep in peace happy. She checked the time again, it was 11:45. she dropped the phone and got back under the covers to sleep but this time she left the lights on.

Hello it's the author

Thank you for checking out my book again today

pls follow me on Instagram @prettyrae0 for announcement of chapter updates and any questions you might have.

xoxo!!!!!!